View source for 2006 Tonga earthquake

{{Short description|Earthquake in Tonga}}
{{Infobox earthquake
 | name        = 2006 Tonga earthquake
 | image       = <!-- file name only -->
 | alt         = 
 | caption     = 
 | map         =
 | map_alt     = 
 | map_caption =
 | map2        = {{Location map | Oceania#Tonga
| relief = yes
| label =
| lat = -19.97
| long = -174.27
| mark = Bullseye1.png
| marksize = 40
| position = bottom
| width = 250
| float = right
| caption = }}
 | isc-event   = 10698255
 | anss-url    = usp000eg5g
 | local-date  = {{Start date|2006|05|04}}
 | local-time  = 04:26:35<ref name=ISC-GEM>{{citation|title=ISC-GEM Global Instrumental Earthquake Catalogue (1900–2009)|url=http://www.isc.ac.uk/iscgem/index.php|author=ISC|year=2015|publisher=[[International Seismological Centre]]|series=Version 2.0}}</ref>
 | timestamp   = 2006-05-03 15:26:40
 | duration    =
 | magnitude   = 8.0 {{M|w|link=y}}<ref name=ISC-GEM/>
 | depth       = {{convert|40.9|km|mi|0|abbr=on}}<ref name=ISC-GEM/>
 | location    = {{coord|-19.97|-174.27|region:TO_type:event|display=inline,title}}<ref name=ISC-GEM/>
 | type        = [[Fault (geology)#Dip-slip faults|Reverse]]<ref name=PAGER-CAT/>
 | affected    = 
 | damage     = <!-- cost/extent of property damage -->
 | intensity   = {{MMI|VII}}<ref name=USGS>{{cite web|title=M8.0 – Tonga|url=https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usp000eg5g#general_summary|publisher=United States Geological Survey}}</ref>	
 | pga         = <!-- NN''[[Peak ground acceleration|g]]'' -->
 | tsunami     = {{convert|0.54|m|abbr=on}}<ref name=USGS/>
 | landslide   =
 | foreshocks  =
 | aftershocks =
 | casualties  = 1 injured<ref name=PAGER-CAT>{{citation|title=PAGER-CAT Earthquake Catalog|url=https://earthquake.usgs.gov/static/lfs/data/pager/catalogs/|date=September 4, 2009|publisher=United States Geological Survey|series=Version 2008_06.1}}</ref>
}}

The '''2006 Tonga earthquake''' occurred on 4 May at {{tooltip|04:26:35 local time|3 May 2006 at 15:26:35 UTC}} with a [[Moment magnitude scale|moment magnitude]] of 8.0 and a maximum [[Mercalli intensity scale|Mercalli intensity]] of VII (very strong). One injury occurred and a non-destructive tsunami was observed.

==Earthquake==
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii issued a warning 17 minutes after the earthquake for coastal areas around the Pacific. An hour later, the center downgraded the warning to only the region within 600 miles of the epicenter, and an hour after that, it canceled the alert.<ref>{{cite news|last=Chang|first=Kenneth|title=Quake Causes Tsunami Alert, But No Damage|newspaper=The New York Times|date=4 May 2006|id={{ProQuest|93201749}}}}</ref> The earthquake was followed by a pair of large aftershocks the next day.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna12612687 |title=Aftershocks rattle South Pacific nation |publisher=NBC News |date=4 May 2006 |access-date=30 September 2021}}</ref>

==Damage==
The event caused very limited damage. The previous large earthquake in Tonga, in [[1977 Tonga earthquake|1977]], was of a lower magnitude but resulted in more severe damage. A likely cause is that the 2006 quake generated other frequencies that only resulted in resonance in small items. In shops, cans and bottles fell from shelves.<ref name=PIR1/>

*The century-old Catholic church in [[Lapaha]] had new cracks in the tower and several stones fell down, leaving the steeple in a somewhat unstable position.
*The tower of a 60-year-old church of the Free church of Tonga in [[Veitongo]] collapsed, the steeple came down and several walls cracked beyond repair.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pireport.org/articles/2006/05/08/tonga-church-damaged-great-quake |title=TONGA CHURCH DAMAGED BY GREAT QUAKE |publisher=Pacific Islands Report |date=8 May 2006 |access-date=30 September 2021 |archive-date=30 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210930095316/http://www.pireport.org/articles/2006/05/08/tonga-church-damaged-great-quake |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*A Korean business man jumped in panic from his second floor hotel room and was hurt in the fall. He was brought to the hospital where he had to wait a long time for any help as power was off and most staff were off duty (as that day was a public holiday).<ref name=PIR1>{{cite web |url=http://www.pireport.org/articles/2006/05/05/earthquake-leaves-tonga-shaken |title=EARTHQUAKE LEAVES TONGA SHAKEN |publisher=Pacific Islands Report |date=5 May 2006 |access-date=30 September 2021 |archive-date=30 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210930095321/http://www.pireport.org/articles/2006/05/05/earthquake-leaves-tonga-shaken |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*The American wharf in [[Nukuʻalofa|Nuku{{okina}}alofa]] sustained cracks in addition to those caused by the 1977 earthquake.
*A ship, sunk in 1949 near Toula, [[Vava'u|Vava{{okina}}u]] apparently burst open and its load of [[copra]] came floating to the ocean surface.
*A [[landslide]] occurred at Hunga island in Vava{{okina}}u, when the ground at a steep cliff along the shore began sliding into the sea.
*In [[Ha'apai|Ha{{okina}}apai]], the islands closest to the epicentre, the wharf was damaged and a number of water-pipes and telephone lines were broken.<ref name=PIRDamage>{{cite web |url=http://www.pireport.org/articles/2006/05/08/tonga-assesses-damage-after-quake |title=TONGA ASSESSES DAMAGE AFTER QUAKE |publisher=Pacific Islands Report |date=8 May 2006 |access-date=30 September 2021 |archive-date=30 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210930095310/http://www.pireport.org/articles/2006/05/08/tonga-assesses-damage-after-quake |url-status=dead }}</ref> Niu{{okina}}ui hospital was damaged.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pireport.org/articles/2006/05/22/tonga-hospital-closed-repairs-after-quake |title=TONGA HOSPITAL CLOSED FOR REPAIRS AFTER QUAKE |publisher=Pacific Islands Report |date=22 May 2006 |access-date=30 September 2021 |archive-date=30 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210930095309/http://www.pireport.org/articles/2006/05/22/tonga-hospital-closed-repairs-after-quake |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Tsunami==
Since the earthquake occurred underwater, [[Tsunami warning system|tsunami warnings]] were issued, but then lifted.<ref name=BBC>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4970308.stm |title=Tonga struck by strong earthquake |publisher=BBCNews |date=4 May 2006 |access-date=30 September 2021}}</ref> A small tsunami was observed.<ref>{{citation|title=Tsunami forecast for the May 2006 Tonga tsunami|year=2008|first=L.|last=Tang|first2=V. V.|last2=Titov|first3=Y.|last3=Wei|first4=H. O.|last4=Mofjeld|first5=M.|last5=Spillane|first6=D.|last6=Arcas|first7=E. N.|last7=Bernard|first8=C.|last8=Chamberlin|first9=E.|last9=Gica|first10=J.|last10=Newman|journal=[[Journal of Geophysical Research]]|volume=113|issue=C12|doi=10.1029/2008JC004922|pages=C12015|bibcode=2008JGRC..11312015T|doi-access=free}}</ref> Later analysis showed the earthquake to be a [[Slab detachment|slab-tearing event]] and so less conducive to tsunami generation.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://source.wustl.edu/2007/03/tonga-quake-not-conducive-to-tsunami/ |title=Tonga quake not conducive to tsunami |publisher=Washington University |author=Tony Fitzpatrick |date=5 March 2007 |access-date=30 September 2021}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of earthquakes in 2006]]
*[[List of earthquakes in Tonga]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20160326224633/http://earthquake.usgs.gov:80/earthquakes/eqarchives/poster/2006/20060503.php Poster of the Tonga Earthquake of 3 May 2006 – Magnitude 7.9] – United States Geological Survey
*{{EQ-isc-link|10698255}}

{{Earthquakes in 2006}}

[[Category:Megathrust earthquakes in Tonga|2006 Tonga]]
[[Category:2006 earthquakes|Tonga]]
[[Category:2006 in Tonga|Tonga Earthquake, 2006]]
[[Category:May 2006 in Oceania]]
[[Category:2006 disasters in Oceania]]